Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Paneer Makhmali

All I need to do is enjoy the rain beating an irregular tattoo on my windowsill, revel in my fever for which I took the day off from work and curl up with a mystery under a reading lamp, but here I am at my computer, under the glare of tubelights, trying to post something. It’s not even as if I badly want to post this or that I’m meeting some deadline I set for myself, but sleeplessness and a regularity with which I now gravitate towards the blogs that’s making me do this. Posting doesn’t feel like a chore, though – it’s quite a mixed-up feeling. From the confusing to the simple: what I have for you today is a paneer/cottage cheese recipe. It’s taken from Nita Mehta’s book Still More Paneer, and the only change I made was to use mango ginger instead of the regular ginger.That's mango ginger in the photo.

This gravy is a velvety affair (hence the name Makhmal, from the Persian), given that the ingredients are pressure cooked and ground, the base being coconut milk. It’s something of a shocker, essentially being paneer in tomato chaaru (rasam/soup South Indian style, with a dash of tempering), but it’s not as odd a match as it sounds. On to the recipe, then:

LOL...power of blogging;) i am kind of shocked to see paneer in coconut gravy. yeah, it does sound little odd but i am all in for new set of challenges:) got big bar of tyre oops, paneer. will surely give it a go soon:)

my MIL makes a tomato chutney with coconut milk SRA ..(will post that sometime).paneer makhmali sounds like that and exactly the same colour.Adding paneer to that would be a good idea.mango ginger is sure a good addition.

The dish sure looks makhmali:) Nice recipe Sra. Never tried adding coconut milk with paneer.Even I have got so used to blogging, more than the recipes, it is the pleasure of interacting with you all.I don't think I can stop blogging ever.How are you feeling now ? Take care :)

I was expecting a Mughlai feast here :) Wow, I'm curious what this north meets south recipe tastes like. I can imagine the tomato, mango ginger, paneer and coconut milk tastes separately, but together? Will have to try it :)

Sra, a postscript: I made this at breakfast right after I read your post, with my mother's garden-fresh tomatoes. It's amazing, and if my husband doesn't come in soon from work, he's not getting any of it. Thanks for introducing me to Nita Mehta's cookbooks. One of her paneer volumes is in my Amazon shopping cart already. : )

Arkansas, thanks.Musical, thanks. Try it!Nupur, the M G's sourness got combined with that of the tomatoes, I think.Arts, I'm not sure but I think it's called Aam Haldi in Hindi, does it sound familiar now?Sia, so that's the state of paneer in the UK?Rajitha, the gravy thickened a bit after resting.Sreelu, it's not too bad, try it!Tee, I hear it's quite easily available in the US, not sure which part of US you live, though!Asha, thanks. How are you doing?Padma, yes, it's a silky gravy, you got the right word.Bhags, this is a paler version of ginger, when you snap it or scratch it, there's the aroma of raw mango.Manasi, thanks.

Prema, do post that chutney recipe.Richa, thanks, am getting better slowly.Archana, yes, I love the interactivity too!Suganya, I am, thank you.Ramya, this is just my second time!Linda, no, it thickens, so it's a gravy all right, but with taste of tomato soup.Viji, thanks.Shyam, you put it so well!Susan, funnily enough, I'm not able to eat the leftovers, no appetite on account of my fever. I'm happy you enjoyed making it and it turned out well for you. Did your husband get any?Sunita, thanks.Rahin, thanks.TBC, thanks.Jyothsna, it's a mildly tangy gravy.Sandeepa, getting better, thanks.Sharmi, aargh! Not in my worst dreams!Rachna, let me know if it worked for you!Raaga, hope you like it.Cynthia, I've even pickled it - look out for the recipe!

Alas, my husband did not get any, but I'm do for another tomato harvest from my mom, so it will be in the pot again very soon. I was quite taken with not only the flavor and ease, but the startling orange color of the final dish.

I hope you're feeling better soon. Your paneer makhmali must have made you feel better though. I just had something similar at an Indian restaurant the other night and loved it, and now you've given me a recipe to try myself. Thanks!

Susan, funnily enough, I couldn't eat it after I fell sick. Hope it works well for you!Mallika, thanks!SeeC, it is unusual, yes.Arts, yes, it is easySirisha, it's nice enough, try it!Mandira, let me know if it turned out well!Sreelu, thanks for asking. Ippudu bagunnanu, but computer tikkaga behave chestondi.Sig, I don't mind being sick as much as I minded the computer being sick! That made me depressed!Sukanya, thanks